Thursday, June 16, 2011

Easiest Ever Gazpacho

I made this a couple of days ago based on what I had available and what I was craving.   It couldn't be any easier to make this flavorful chilled summer soup.

Ingredients:                                                                          
1/4 cup mild salsa                                                                       
1 medium cucumber, peeled and chunked
1 cup diced celery

Preparation:
Put it all in the blender and watch it whir!  Eat with delight.

Nutrition:
Servings per recipe: 1
Serving Size:  Approximately 2/3 cup
Calories:  62
Fat:  1 g
Cholesterol:  0
Sodium:  389 mg
Total carbohydrates:  13 g 
Dietary Fiber: 5 g
Protein:  3

Pureed Yams with Ginger, Star Anise, and Cinnamon

The original recipe was from the November 2010 Country Living magazine, but it contained butter and brown sugar, so I modified it to meet my needs.  I love cinnamon and ginger, so it was a hit with me!  A nutritional bonus is the 975 grams of potassium.  I served this as a side dish for a pureed kale soup with ground turkey in it, and some yogurt for dessert.  Tasty!

Ingredients:
1 medium yam, peeled and cubed (about 1 cup of cubes)
1 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
1 Tablespoon Smart Balance Light Buttery Spread
1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger or 1/2 tsp ground dried ginger

Preparation:
In a medium pot, add yam, star anise, cinnamon stick and enough water to cover, about 2 cups.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook yams until soft, about 10 minutes.
Drain, reserving liquid and discarding spices. Add Smart Balance, soy sauce and ginger and puree with an immersion stick.  Add some of the reserved liquid, if needed, to achieve a smooth consistency.  Season lightly with salt and pepper and serve hot. 

Nutrition:
Serving Size: 1 large serving of about 1 1/4 cup
Calories:  219
Fat:  6 g
Cholesterol:  0 mg
Sodium:  273 mg
Total Carbohydrates:  40 g
Dietary Fiber:  6 g
Protein:  3 g